Book 2 – Page 62

[name lips]

The whole point of a carny is to distract you, catch you off guard, then trick you into doing something you wouldn't normally do.

He wants Parson to stop and talk. That by itself is reason not to. So even by talking to him, Parson is doing it wrong. But it's also quite possible that part of Carnymancy is making people stop and pay attention to you when they normally wouldn't (people have observed it looks almost like Jojo is casting a spell masked by casual conversation). Then you can weave your magic, and once they're sufficiently distracted, you can trick them into doing whatever you want.

In fact, that could easily be their entire specialty -- making people do things they normally wouldn't. Do we have any other caster types that specialize in that kind of manipulation? Thinkamancers can Suggest, but their targets always justify it as something they would have done anyway. I don't think Maggie could, for example, throw dust at Parson and make him attack other GK units, or make Stanley disband all his dwagons. That's too far out of character, they wouldn't be able to convince themselves to do it. But maybe a Carnymancer CAN. Maybe he can totally twist your free will so you do whatever he wants. Thus the question -- do you believe in free will? Well DO YOU PUNK?

Actually attacking a neutral caster in the MK is not a good idea. As far as the MK is concerned, Jojo is just doing his job, keeping Parson from portal hopping, just like the other casters in Portal Park. He almost certainly has ulterior motives, but they don't know that. They say "stop that warlord" and he runs into the tunnel and stops the warlord. If Parson kills him, it's a genuine attack on the MK (from their point of view).

He can't just ignore him. Leaving an unknown caster with an unknown scroll at your back? Not good.

Best response at this time? Assume the scroll is part of the trick, attack it with hope of destroying it or making him drop it, then continue to run for Spacerock.

Best option for Sizemore? Help his chief warlord! Maybe erect a wall right behind parson so Jojo can't follow him. I don't know if he can do that without seeing what's going on or not.

[teratorn]

But then what would be the usefulness of this guy in regular warfare? Casters are expensive to keep and generally not put in contact with enemy units.

[Jay]

How on earth does his identity reference the Beatles? "Jojo" was the real Jeftichew's stage name.

"Here comes the sun" is also a Beatles lyric. Seems pretty clear that he's supposed to be a double (at least) reference.

Jojo the Dog-Faced Boy


edit: eh, nevermind..

[skarl]

maybe I am really missing something, but why do so many say with absolute certainty that charlie wants parson dead, and not captured by him? I really can't find it in the comic!

[Mr. Goodwraith]

In panel 7, a pair of glowing Wolvie-claws have extended from Parson's right gauntlet. By panel 11, they are gone (retracted?). Continuity error, or something more significant?

[kouhoutek]

Does anyone else think people are greatly overestimating Jeftichew's loyalty to Unaroyal?

If Stanley got croaked, does anyone believe Maggie or Sizemore would go vendetta?

That might be because Stanley is a pill, but if Jetstone fell, don't you think Ace would be perfectly happy to reunite with Ossamer if it meant he could still make his toys?

Remember, in Erfworld, Loyalty is a compulsion, one that goes away when a caster changes employers. Bea may have extracted a vow not to work for non-royals, but that doesn't mean Jeftichew is carrying a chip on his shoulder.

I think casters are just a motivated by the opportunity to work their craft as they are by their sides. If you really want to know what Jeftichew is up to, ask yourself, "WWJackD if GK fell?"

[joosy]

In panel 7, a pair of glowing Wolvie-claws have extended from Parson's right gauntlet. By panel 11, they are gone (retracted?). Continuity error, or something more significant?

No they were always there - part of the 'Shredder' outfit that he chose back in the armory.

[joosy]

But then what would be the usefulness of this guy in regular warfare? Casters are expensive to keep and generally not put in contact with enemy units.

<shrug> use your imagination. Pulling weapons or other suprises from up your sleeve or allowing others to? Sawing someone in half? Escaping from a seeming death trap? Making an elephant/unit disappear or re-appear?

... or maybe he was just good at keeping the royal court happily entertained. Keep in mind that Erfworld is not all about bloody warfare but also diplomacy, blackmail, ransom, subterfuge, etc.

[One Skunk Todd]

How on earth does his identity reference the Beatles? "Jojo" was the real Jeftichew's stage name.

"Here comes the sun" is also a Beatles lyric. Seems pretty clear that he's supposed to be a double (at least) reference.

Jojo the Dog-Faced Boy


edit: eh, nevermind..

And George

[Mr. Goodwraith]

In panel 7, a pair of glowing Wolvie-claws have extended from Parson's right gauntlet. By panel 11, they are gone (retracted?). Continuity error, or something more significant?

No they were always there - part of the 'Shredder' outfit that he chose back in the armory.

Yes, I'm sure the pointy bits have always been part of the armor. My question is, is it significant that they're extended in panel 7 but not in panel 11?

[skarl]

In panel 7, a pair of glowing Wolvie-claws have extended from Parson's right gauntlet. By panel 11, they are gone (retracted?). Continuity error, or something more significant?

No they were always there - part of the 'Shredder' outfit that he chose back in the armory.

plus, I can still see them. they are less visible, yes, but there's something that makes your drawings more realistic: it's called perspective. the kind of perspective shown in that pannel is actually really hard to draw right sometimes.

[wrecan]

it's also quite possible that part of Carnymancy is making people stop and pay attention to you when they normally wouldn't

Yes, Parson doesn't stop running until the frame in which the background becomes swirling orange, the color of Jeftichew's jacket. I think it quite likely Parson is under the influence of a carnymancy spell, at a minimum one that stopped Parson's progress and encourages banter.

[MarbitChow]

Yes, Parson doesn't stop running until the frame in which the background becomes swirling orange, the color of Jeftichew's jacket. I think it quite likely Parson is under the influence of a carnymancy spell, at a minimum one that stopped Parson's progress and encourages banter.

I'm personally of the opinion that it's just the standard Anime 'Action background' style, for when Parson switches into 'ready to fight' mode. Most spells and scrolls that we've see so far have 'magic words' that are meaningful towards the spell, and usually a pun on the effect. I didn't notice any of that in Jojo's banter.

[boegiboe]

it's also quite possible that part of Carnymancy is making people stop and pay attention to you when they normally wouldn't

Yes, Parson doesn't stop running until the frame in which the background becomes swirling orange, the color of Jeftichew's jacket. I think it quite likely Parson is under the influence of a carnymancy spell, at a minimum one that stopped Parson's progress and encourages banter.

I like the idea that carnymancy gets people to make mistakes...to do what they normally wouldn't and couldn't see themselves doing. But that isn't necessary here. Look at how the action progresses.

1. Jojo starts shouting at Parson, who then notices Jojo chasing.
2. PG decides to try to just run for it, but it becomes pretty quickly clear that Jojo is catching up and will be within melee range before PG can leave the tunnel.
3. Jojo shouts out this line: "Yes, folks, see him run right into what Fate has spun, and shun the one who could get it alllll undone!" This clearly implies the ability or inclination to end the Summon Warlord spell.
4. Duty be damned, Parson can't ignore someone suggesting they can send him back home, and besides that, he can't ignore the possibility of being attacked from behind. So, he wheels and brandishes his sword at his pursuer.

No spell or other magic is necessary. Maybe Jojo is lying about being able to end or cancel the spell, but that's not magic. The orange swirl panel is just an artistic nod to your standard 80's cheap animation action panel, like this one:



Casting a spell requires magic words. Casting a scroll requires opening the scroll and reading the magic words off of it. They aren't in a hallowed place, like the hippiemancer's glade, where certain magicks infuse the air, and Jojo doesn't appear to be using any magic item that would allow him to create a spell effect without speaking, such as suggestion dust or a staff.

Now, all that applies to everything we've seen up till now, but it is possible that Jeftichew is using Rhyme-o-mancy, which we haven't seen used yet, but could imagine looks a lot like what he's doing here. Still, I say there's nothing in what Parson does that isn't almost demanded by Jojo's actions alone, without any magic working on Parson.

Edit: MarbitChow posted before me on the anime point, but I'm leaving my comment whole because maybe the illustration helps.

[boegiboe]

Oooh, maybe Jojo's rhyme-o-mancy is how he's catching up to Parson on his short, stubby little Erfworld legs!

[DevilDan]

Interesting update. I'm almost freaked out.

[Dr Pepper]

As an aside Can I just pat myself on the back and say that it looks like my epileptic twee from over a week ago is coming to fruition?

Only if you let me do the same for predicting that there would be a high ranking thinkamancer named Isaac who would be collecting data.

[ZippyTheBookWorm]

I (strongly) predict that JoJo will tell Parson that his scroll will free Parson from his duty/allegiance to GK, and make him a true free agent. A true wild card. This would also be in keeping with the new bonus Thinkamancer page from Book 1.

The question in my mind is whether Parson will believe him. And whether JoJo is telling the truth.

If that is what Jojo tells him, I would then wonder if perhaps he's being freed from his allegiance through croaking. If he's croaked, no need to remain loyal to anyone. Of course... that would then beg the question, 'Can Parson be uncroaked/decrypted?' That could be terrifying.

[gazes_also]

Casting a spell requires magic words.

"Here comes the Sun" possibly?
Breaks Parson's concentration, gets his attention, and it 'dawns' on him what Jojo might be offering in his next statement.
Seems likely that getting the mark's attention would be a basic carneymancy so you could then draw them in.

[MarbitChow]

"Here comes the Sun" possibly?

That seems more like a regular phrase, whereas most spells have a word that is meaningless in Erfworld but references ours:
"Scruby" - Summon Perfect Warlord. Jack Scruby manufactured war game miniatures, and Scruby is a packet-sniffing utility: combined, "sniff out a wargamer".
"xyzzy, aybabtu", etc. - Fire spells from the tower; spell words were cheat codes, internet memes, etc.
"Pozzolana" - Repair golems: Pozzolana is a type of cement
"de Graaff" - Summon Lightning (Arkenhammer ability): Van De Graaff generator creates that kind of effect
"Lol Hayhurst, etc" - Cure Scroll : all spell words were Cure band members
'Here comes the sun' doesn't match the pattern.